Before you bury me and say I've got no sense of humour or I'm a crazed terrorist, I like most American comedy: the Simpsons, Futurama, Frasier (when it was good), Cheers, Scrubs, South Park, Friends (before I realised how irritating it is), [edit: how could I forget Beavis and Butthead?] and most of the others US comedies we see in Britain are decent. (although absolute piffle compared to our jolly good telly, eh what old chap?)

But, Seinfeld. I've just never laughed at it. I know it was immensely popular in America, and have never found anyone who said a bad word about it, but I'm pretty sure I get the jokes and they just aren't funny to me. Do I need to watch the whole series to appreciate the humour, or see a therapist, or (god forbid) does anyone agree with me?

I like it pretty much. I like the intertwining plots, how they all wrap up together in the end. And the writers are clever in making the most out of a trivial situation (such as the time where the gang is stranded in a parking lot). I'm not sure how many episodes you've watched, but maybe it's not your style of humor. I like Seinfeld but in my opinion the first season didn't appeal to me much.

They called it "the show about nothing," but the fact was that it was more about real people and real life than other "shows about something," I guess, like Friends. I mean, come on, these struggling post-college folks can afford studio apartments and such? Whatever. Seinfeld was real life.

Shutup! Friends is a good show.......and i dont think its gonna be on much longer because its soo old but what i do know about it is its fairly realistic and joey is soo hot! things that are true like seinfeld are BORRING!

Originally posted by LAN.gnome:They called it "the show about nothing," but the fact was that it was more about real people and real life than other "shows about something," I guess, like Friends. I mean, come on, these struggling post-college folks can afford studio apartments and such?

A college professor, an actor, a fairly major chef married to a guy who (until recently) worked in an office, and someone who works at Ralph Lauren. Yeah, total mystery that one.

Friends is unreal because there's hardly anyone in New York who actually acts like them. Those aren't real people doing things real people do. Seinfeld was about real people doing things real people do (well more real than Friends at least). Plus, I didn't realize everyone in New York city was white like on Friends.

Originally posted by PCC Fred: A college professor, an actor, a fairly major chef married to a guy who (until recently) worked in an office, and someone who works at Ralph Lauren. Yeah, total mystery that one.

Those careers are only recent developments. Ross was a student for a long while, Monica only recent became a head chef, Joey's career as an actor before he landed the soap opera stuff was dismal. Pheobe's career.. well, it needs no adressing. Chandler and Rachel were the only ones who had any money from the beginning, and Rachel was supposedly cut off and that's why she needed the job.

They've had the same few apartments for the whole series. There've been a couple moves, but their's always been those two main apartments. How did they afford them at the beginning? How?

Originally posted by LAN.gnome: Those careers are only recent developments. Ross was a student for a long while, Monica only recent became a head chef, Joey's career as an actor before he landed the soap opera stuff was dismal. Pheobe's career.. well, it needs no adressing. Chandler and Rachel were the only ones who had any money from the beginning, and Rachel was supposedly cut off and that's why she needed the job.

They've had the same few apartments for the whole series. There've been a couple moves, but their's always been those two main apartments. How did they afford them at the beginning? How?

It was established fairly early on that Chandler, Monica and Ross had reasonably well paying jobs.

Originally posted by LAN.gnome: Do you know what a studio apartment in Manhattan would cost? Rent is outrageous for apartments as big as theirs! Especially for the neighborhood they are in (i.e. near Central Park).

There's only one way to settle this argument! Write to NBC and ask them for all six characters' financial details!

Does Pheobe even have a job these days? She used to do the whole folk singing gig at Central Perk, but I haven't seen her do much of anything lately. Is she still with Monica in that whole catering thing?

Well from the information I've gathered Phoebe appears to be a beggar and probably prostitues for money as well. That (coupled with Ross, Monica, and Chandler's wealth) could afford the apartments right? Maybe not. Anyway, here's a spoiler for an episode from one of the last episodes of Friends.

I can't relate to anyone who likes Friends more than Seinfeld. Seinfeld was hilarious, and it got better and better(until the final episode). Some may argue that the final two seasons weren't as good...I disagree, but surely everyone can see that Seinfeld had the class to retire way earlier than it could have.

Also, I think everyone should shut up about sitcoms being "realistic". Yeah, Friends isn't realistic...but neither was Seinfeld. Jerry George and Elaine's residences were more realistic, I guess, since they all had appropriate jobs. But what about Kramer? He doesn't do anything, and he lives in an apartment just as fancy as Jerry's. And the situations that they always got into were nowhere near realistic.

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By LAN.gnomePersonally, my favorite TV comedy (live-action!) is The Daily Show, a news parody program on Comedy central.

I don't believe he was calling it agonizing because she watches it alot, I think he merely meant to imply that he must suffer through the agony of it more often than he would like due to her watching it.

It is agonizing, like most show of that variety, because it is somewhat predictable, uncreative, and uses a laugh track for joks that aren't really funny.

Personally, I despise laugh tracks, it's as if they believe that in order to convince you that it's funny, other people must be laughing at it... it's like videos of a band where they show case all these people really digging the band, wow, they must be cool... grrr...

I didn't get the novelty of Friends either. It all look sugarcoated to me. And I also agree that they never seem to act like real New Yorkers would. If there is a reality flaw with Seinfeld it's that those people seem to use their cars too much. They should use taxicabs more.

Seinfeld is one of the best shows on TV, because it could turn the most mundane situations into hilarious riots. I liked Friends for a while, but it's getting so repetitive now. I remember there was a fake commercial for Friends on SNL where Ross hooked up with...his sister. The tag line was, "Because we're really running out of combinations." I'm surprised they haven't gone with some big lesbian/gay situation (Besides the one with Rachel's college friend). Oh, wait, they must be saving that for the series finale in 2230...

I voted "Seinfeld's so great". In my opinion it is the most consistently well written sitcom that I've ever seen. I can't think of an episode that I didn't like. I'll stop and watch 'em whenever I see them on rerun (except when Futurama is on at the same time).

I saw Curb Your Enthusiasm by Seinfeld creator Larry David last night on BBC2, and didn't think it was up to much either. There were a few amusing moments, but not enough, and the story didn't even build to a good conclusion. It tried to make the episode turn into a bigger and bigger web of lies (like Fawlty Towers or Frasier, sometimes, did) without being as funny as either IMO.Has anyone seen this, and what did you think of it?

Originally posted by LAN.gnome: Forgive me, but I don't understand how what you said relates to the quote you used. What are you referring to?

Just referring to a certain PEEL 4-some that's going to a live taping of the Daily Show on Monday.

I have a thousand years of power."NOOOOO HE WAS MY BROTHER!" and then got tired and slept."He has the special talent, though, of being able to help people and make them feel utterly stupid all at the same time. ... In short, he's a great moderator, but a terrible human being."-SlackJawedMoron

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